The Blackshirts will have a tall task when facing Colt McCoy and the Texas Longhorns this Saturday in Dallas.

Photo Courtesy Scott Bruhn/NU Media Relations

Courtesy: NU Media Relations

12/02/2009

The Nebraska football team hit the practice field on Wednesday in preparation for its upcoming matchup with the Texas Longhorns in the Big 12 Championship game on Saturday. With temperatures in the mid-30's, the Huskers practiced inside the Hawks Championship Center for a little over two hours in helmets and shoulder pads.

Defensive coordinator Carl Pelini was pleased with the Huskers' effort as they hit the midway point of the week.

"It was good," Pelini said of practice. "It was a great practice. Everybody was upbeat and everybody was working hard. It was good."

Pelini and the Husker defense will have a tall task this Saturday when facing a potent Texas offense. The Longhorns are fresh off their defeat of rival Texas A&M where they racked up 597 total yards and 49 points. Pelini talked about the Longhorn offense after practice on Wednesday.

"Texas is a very balanced team," Pelini said. "They run the ball well. They throw the ball well and they have a mobile quarterback, so we have to be clicking in every aspect. A lot of offenses you face you can make them one-dimensional, make them impatient, these guys won't be. They have too many weapons. You have to be ready to defend the whole field."

Leading the Longhorn offense is senior quarterback Colt McCoy. McCoy, who holds the record for most wins by a quarterback in FBS history, will be one of the more mobile quarterback the Blackshirts have seen this season.

"We've faced some good running quarterbacks," Pelini said."He's probably the best one we have faced. He's patient like (Todd) Reesing (Kansas) and he's got Tyrod Taylor's (Virginia Tech) speed. You really have to account for that all the time and he's such a good thrower and accomplished thrower in the pocket that you have to cover that aspect of it as well. He's a very difficult guy to defend."

The Huskers will return to the practice field on Thursday, before heading to Dallas on Friday. Kickoff for Saturday's game is set for 7 p.m. and can be seen nationally ABC.